Tapeworm-trap



ALPHEUS MYERS OF LOGANSPORT, INDIANA.

TAPEWORM-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 11,942, dated November 14., 1854.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALPHEUs MYERS, M. D. ,"of Logansport, in the county of Cass and-State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Trap for Removing Tape- 'worms from the Stomach and Intestiiies;

and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference bein had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to effect the removal of worms from the system, without employing medicines, and thereby causing much in ury. My invention consists in a trap which; is

baited, attachedto a string, and swallowed by the patient after a fast of suitable duration'to make the worm hungry. The worm seizes the bait, and its head is caught'in the trap, which is then withdrawn from the patien'ts stomach by the string which has been left hanging from the mouth, dragging after it the'whole length of the worm.

Eigum -1,'in the accompanying drawing, is

a view, on an enlarged scale, of the tra in condition to be swallowed by the patlent. Fig. 2, is a view of all the parts of the same detached.

, Similar letters of; reference indicate corresponding partsin both figures. The trap consists of a box a, of gold,

, platina or other metal: not' easilycorroded,"

opening 0, of a sufiicient size for the head of ,thelrworm to be introduced. This box contains another box (2, of substantially similar form fitting loosely to it; and the box 05, has an'openingye, within it of about the 2', on the lid is then swallowed.

same width as the opening 0, in the outer box, the said opening 6, having lts lower edge serrated. The box a, is furnished inside with a stud f, dotted in both-figures, which projects very slightly from the inner surface, so as to be capable of catchin between the teeth of the lower edge oi 'the opening 6, as shown in Fig. 1, in dotted outline. Under the bottom of the box d,'is a spiral spring 9, which tends to force it upward within the outer box.

The trap is baited by taking 01f the cover 6, of the exterior box, and filling the interior box with the bait which may consist of any nutritious substance. The interior box d, isthen pushed down until the stud f, catches between the teeth of the opening 6, and holds it with the openings 0, and c, opposite each other, the points of the teeth being then below the lower edge of the opening 0. The trap, having the cord h, attached to a ring The worm, in inserting its head at the opening 6, and eating the bait, will so far disturb the inner box as to work it free of the stud 7', when the box will be forced upward by the spring 9,

and the worm caught behind the head, be-

tween the serrated lower edge of the opening in the interior box, and the upper edge of the opening in the exterior box. The trap and the worm may then be drawnfrom the stomach, by the cord, h. i

In constructing the trap, c are should be taken that the spring g,= is] only strong enough tohold the worm, and not strong enough to cause his head to be cut, off.

What I claim as my invention, and desire' iif to secure by Letters Patent, is z' 1 A trap for the removal of tape worms from the stomach and intestines, constructed and operating substantially -as herein described.

Witnesses:

S. H.WALES, J. W. HAMILTON.

ALPHEUS MYERS. 

